5 October 2011New gate to protect the penguins without pier at St Kilda(Australia)Little
penguins at St Kilda Pier will get extra protection with a new gate that
will help control visitor numbers. Earthcare
St Kilda volunteers have been working with Department
of Sustainability and Environment to come up with ways to protect
the penguins and their chicks during summer. Earthcare St Kilda president
Kim Cowie said minimising the impact of visitors on the penguin colony
was crucial.Read
Port Phillip Leader article

21 September 2011Smells may help birds identify their
relatives(USA)Birds may have a more highly developed sense
of smell than researchers previously thought, contend scholars who have
found that penguins may use smell to determine if they are related to
a potential mate. The research by the University
of Chicago and the Chicago
Zoological Society, which manages Brookfield Zoo, shows how related
Humboldt
penguins are able to recognise each other. The study, published in the
journal PLoS
ONE, could help conservationists design programs to help preserve
endangered species. Read
UChicago News article

Bald baby penguin abandoned by parents(China)
An emperor
penguin chick born without feathers at the LHT Pole Aquarium was abandoned
by its parents just days after its birth. Now, thanks to the efforts of
keepers at the aquarium in the Lianoning Province, it has been accepted
back into the family. The keepers decided that the chick's lack of feathers
and weak condition were due to difficulties digesting food and absorbing
nutrition. After a month of round-the-clock care, the chick was much stronger
and grew feathers. It was then reintroduced to the family group.Read
AOL Travel article

17 September 2011Penguin-minders to educate visitors(New Zealand)
An initiative to keep both people and little
penguins happy around Oamaru Harbour is being set up by the Waitaki
Tourism Association. The association is calling for volunteers to
help educate visitors about how to treat penguins and other wildlife in
the area. It follows increasing feedback from visitors to the Oamaru
Penguin Colony who, as they leave the colony, see other people outside
who are chasing or blocking birds trying to reach their nests.Read
Otago Daily Times article

12 September 2011Where in the ocean is Happy Feet?(Southern Ocean)We may never know what happened to emperor
penguin Happy Feet as his satellite transmitter has stopped transmitting.
Sirtrack, who provided
the transmitter, have confirmed that a signal has not been received since
9 September, NZ time. This lack of signal means that the transmitter has
not broken the surface of the water since that time. The transmitter had
been working as expected up until its last transmission, so there are
two possibilities: either the transmitter has fallen off or a predator
has prevented Happy Feet from surfacing.Read
The Dominion Post articleRead
follow up article: Hope yet for Happy Feet fans on Stuff.co.nz

4 September 2011Happy Feet has been successfully released(Southern Ocean)
Happy Feet, the emperor
penguin who captured the hearts of New Zealanders and others around the
world, has been released back into the Southern Ocean, off NIWA’s
research vessel Tangaroa. Happy Feet was released at 10:30 am
on 4 September, 49 miles due north of Campbell Island, at a depth of 285
metres. After a bit of "gentle encouragement", the penguin was
released down a purpose-made ‘hydro-slide’ off the stern ramp
of the vessel by Wellington
Zoo, Manager of Veterinary Science, Dr Lisa Argilla and NIWA staff.Read
Wellington Zoo press releaseWatch
video at Stuff.co.nz

3 September 2011Penguins make their screen debut(New Zealand)Little penguins nesting near
Chaddy's Charters in New Plymouth have become screen stars thanks to funding
from the George Mason Charitable Trust and Nga Motu Marine Reserve Society.
Chartered lifeboat owner Dave Chadfield said that the penguins settled
in some old pipes near his shop 21 years ago. Now, the funding has paid
for a camera which is filming one nest with a live feed back to a screen
in Chaddy's Charters shop.Read
Taranaki Daily News article

2 September 2011Penguin killed by dog at North Head(Australia)
Hidden cameras will be placed at North Head in Manly, New South Wales,
after the discovery of a dead little
penguin. An autopsy showed a small dog killed the penguin a few days earlier.
The tagged 13-year-old male was was part of a breeding pair at North Head.Read
The Manly Daily article